Stamping machine for applying indicia to articles



M. H. DOWNS May 14, 1968 STAMPING MACHINE FOR APPLYING INDICIA TO ARTICLES Filed March 16, 1967 FIG.

INVENTOR H.

MVRON United States Patent 3,382,795 STAMPING MACHINE FOR APPLYING INDICIA TO ARTICLES Myron H. Downs, North Caldwell, N.J., assignor, by

direct and mesne assignments, to Downs Process Company, Little Falls, N. a corporation of New Jersey Filed Mar. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 623,678 8 Claims. (Cl. 101-9) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A stamping machine for applying indicia particularly to articles having a non-planar surface from a tape hearing such indicia in the form of ink or gold-leaf which is transferable at elevated temperature and with the tape movable between a die and the supported article. Uniform heating of the indicia-bearing tape with transfer of a selected portion of such indicia to the surface of the article is produced by a movable belt-like member heated to the transfer temperature of the indicia and which is pressed into surface engagement with the tape by movement of the die to its stamping position relative to the supported article.

Background of the invention Heretofore in the art stamping machines have been employed for the stamping articles, such as containers and the like, wherein indicia in the form of heat-trans ferable ink or gold leaf is carried by a tape. This tape is movable between the article positioned on a support and a reciprocally movable die. Such die is itself heated above the heat-transfer temperature of the ink or goldleaf indicia carried by the tape. Accordingly, upon downward movement of this die the indicia-bearing tape is sandwiched between such die and the article which rests on a suitable support extending from a table or the like. This engagement of a preselected portion of the tape as determined by the area of the heated die raises the temperature of the ink or gold-leaf indicia thus transferring the latter to the surface of the article.

Although such prior art stamping machines have been satisfactory in the past, particularly wherein the article to be stamped has a plane or regular surface, they have proven to be exceedingly unsatisfactory for the stamping of articles which have non-planar or irregular surface of any kind. This is due primarily to the fact that there is uneven pressure and the desired area of the indicia-bearing movable tape is not uniformly heated to its transfer temperature by the die thereby resulting in portions of the indicia being left upon the tape and with an imperfect and hence a salvage article accordingly produced. Although such defects are minimized by utilization of a resilient die the latter has poor dimensional stability and poor thermal conductivity which severely limits production rate.

Summary of the present invention It is accordingly the primary object of the present invention to provide a stamping machine wherein a continuously preheated resilient belt-like member raised to the transfer temperature of the ink or gold-leaf indicia carried by a tape are both movable substantially normal to the movement of a die toward a supported article. Movement of such die relative to the supported article causes pressurized sandwiching of the continuously preheated belt-like member and the indicia bearing tape, with attendant transfer of such heated indicia uniformly to the surface of the article on said support regardless of its contour.

3,382,795 Patented May 14, 1968 Another object of the present invention is the provision of a stamping machine wherein a resilient belt-like member is movable through a heater and in a plane substantially parallel to that of a movable indicia-bearing tape so that such resilient belt-like member is continuously preheated above the transfer temperature of the indicia on said tape and causes the transfer thereof to a supported article when the reciprocatory movement of a die causes surface engagement therebetween.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a method for uniformly transferring indicia to an article having a plane or non-planar surface wherein a tape bearing the indicia is moved through a plane substantially parallel to the surface of the article and a resilient belt-like member is continuously preheated to the transfer temperature of the indicia and also moved in a plane substantially parallel to that of said tape, so that the reciprocatory movement of .a die causes the sandwiching engagement of the preheated belt-like member and said tape between the die and the surface of the article, to transfer the heated indicia from said tape to said article.

The foregoing objects, together with others which will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art as the following description proceeds, are achieved in accordance with the present invention by the provision of a stamping machine provided with a head carrying a reciprocating die movable toward and away from an article carried by a suitable support projecting from a table or the like. A tape carrying indicia or gold-leaf which is transferable at elevated temperature is movable across the path of movement of said die. A resilient beltlike member is also vmovable across the path of movement of the reciprocating die and passes through a heater for the purpose of continuously preheating such resilient beltlike member to a temperature above the transfer temperature of the indicia on said tape prior to their contacting engagement. Consequently, during the outward movement of the reciprocating die, the continuously preheated resilient belt-like member and the indicia-bearing tape also simultaneously move to form a sandwich between the die surface and the article. This causes the preheated resilient belt-like member to heat theindicia on the tape so that such indicia is transferred to the surface of the article after which the die is withdrawn inwardly of the head causing separation of the members and their return to normal position preparatory to repetitive operation.

The present invention may be more fully appreciated by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of the stamping machine showing one embodiment which the present invention may take and with such machine in its inoperative or at rest position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the stamping machine of the present invention in the outermost or article stamping position thereof,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line IIIIII of FIG. 1 and showing the clutch arrangement for intermittently causing movement of the indicia carrying tape and the heated belt-like member, and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section and showing the over-riding clutch arrangement forming a part of the machine and looking in the direction of the arrows IV-IV in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail the stamping machine as shown in the several figures comprises a table or the like 5 from which an article support 6 is shown projecting upwardly. The size and contour of this support o naturally varies with that of the particular article to be stamped and in the present instance the uppermost portion of such support 6 is shown of oval configuration to receive a plastic container of similar shape and on the surface of which some legend, trademark, or name is to be stamped in colored ink or gold-leaf. Supports 7 are shown extending upwardly from the table and a platform or the like 8 is secured thereto with the latter having a power drive member, such as an air or hydraulic cylinder 9 with a protruding movable piston rod 10.

A head 11 is mounted on a slide 12 (FIG. 2) secured to the platform 8 with such head being connected to the end of the piston rod for reciprocatory movement by the latter, in response to actuation of the power drive cylinder 9 by an operator. A die 13 is carried at the lowermost extremity of the head 11 which has a configuration simulating that of the article to be stamped. A pair of electrical heating elements or the like 14 are disposed in the head 11 for the purpose of transmitting generated heat to the die 13 to raise the latter to a desired temperature.

A supporting frame or the like 15 is also secured to the head 11 and is thus reciprocally movable therewith. This frame has a power-drum 16 suitably journaled thereto which carries a drive pulley 17 at one end and a oneway clutch 18 together with a pinion gear 19 at its other end, as can be seen more clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4. Also a bifurcated guide 20 is provided for maintaining a riding rack-bar 22 in driving engagement with the pinion gear 19 while its upper end is pivotally connected to a horizontally extending arm 23 aflixed to a protruding end of the support 7, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The opposite end of the supporting frame 15 is provided with a bracket or the like 24 having a supply spool 25 suitably journaled thereto, with such spool 25 being wound with a tape 26 carrying indicia in the form of colored ink or gold-leaf which is transferable at elevated temperature. This tape 26, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is connected to take-off rollers 27 journaled to the frame 15 and rotated by a belt 28 connected to the drive pulley 17. Accordingly, upon rotation of these takeoff rollers 27, the tape 26 is withdrawn from its supply spool 25 by the rotation of the takeoff rollers 27 and the used tape is torn off or gravitates to the floor. In order to maintain movement of such tape 26 in a plane substantially normal to the path of movement of the die 13 toward and away from the article support 6, suitable idler guide rollers 29 and 30 are pivotally secured to brackets 32 depending from each end of the supporting frame 15.

For the purpose of uniformly heating the indicia hearing tape 26 to its transfer temperature, particularly over the area corresponding to that of the article to be stamped, a resilient belt-like member 33 is provided by the present invention. Such member 33 preferably comprises a silicone rubber belt susceptible to withstanding elevated temperatures without deterioration and which is reinforced with fiber glass for imparting dimensional stability thereto. As shown in the drawing, this resilient belt-like member 33 is rotated by the power-drum 16 across the lower arcuate heated surface of the head 11 and around a drum-shaped electrical heater 34 so that the combined heat maintains the temperature of such continuously preheated resilient member 33 above the transfer temperature of the indicia carried by the tape 26. During its rotation such belt member 33 also moves in a plane substantially parallel to that of the movement of the indicia-bearing tape 26, particularly within the field of reciprocatory movement of the die 13, due to passage of such continuously preheated resilient member 33 around an idler roller 35.

Although horizontal movement of both the indiciabearing tape 26 and the heated resilient belt member 33, in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1 is simultaneous such unified movement itself is intermittent. This is due to the operation of the over-riding clutch 18 driven by the pinion gear 19 for rotating the power-drum 16 during upward movement of the rack-bar 22 in response to the upward travel of the head 11 since such over-riding clutch 18 is inoperative to cause rotation of the powerdrum 16 upon downward movement of the head 11 and rack-bar 22.

In the operation of the stamping machine of the present invention as herein described an operator first places the article to be stamped upon the support 6 and activates the piston rod 10 by the admission of fluid pressure to the cylinder 9. The ensuing downward movement of the piston causes similar movement of the head 11 on its slide 12 together with the frame 15 and parts carried thereby. The indicia-bearing tape 26, being in the lowermost plane normal to that of movement of the die 13, first contacts the article on the support 6 across its upper surface. Next, the continuously preheated resilient belt member 33 makes surface contact with that of the tape 26 throughout substantially the same area of the latter engaging the article surface, and followed by the die 13 which causes pressurized sandwiching of the tape 26 and continuously preheated resilient belt 33 between the article on the support 6 and the die 13. The tape 26 is immediately heated above the transfer temperature of the indicia thereon, aided by a minimum of heat loss due to the preheated die 13 itself, resulting in the attendant transfer of such indicia uniformly to the surface of the article regardless of Whether its surface contour is plane or non-planar.

Immediately following such article stamping the head 11 is reciprocated upwardly allowing the continuously preheated resident belt 33 and the indicia bearing tape 26 to assume their normally spaced substantially parallel relationship relative to each other. However, during such upward movement of the head 11 the over-riding clutch 18 is operated by the pinion gear 19, accompanied by similar rotation of power-drum 16 as previously mentioned, thus causing movement of the heated belt 33, in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 1, so long as the head is moving in its upward direction.

Since rotation of power-drum 16 also causes rotation of take-off rollers 27, due to the drive-belt 28 therebetween, indicia-bearing tape 26 is withdrawn from the supply spool 25 and the tape 26 from which the indicia was transferred to the article is withdrawn through take-off rollers 27 during movement thereof, also in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 1. Although the simultaneous movement of both the continuously preheated resilient belt member 33 and indicia-bearing tape 26 occurs only during the upward reciprocatory movement of the head 11 together with its die 13 and frame 15, such movement is of sufficient duration as to move the tape 26 the required distance to place new indicia in alignment with the support 6 along with adequate surface of the continuously preheated resilient belt 33 preparatory to repetitive operation of the entire stamping machine.

It should accordingly be obvious to those skilled in the art that from the foregoing a stamping machine for applying indicia to an articfe and particularly one having a non-planar surface has been provided by the present invention. Moreover, the die normally employed needs only to be heated to a temperature sutlicient to eliminate heat loss from the continuously preheated silicone belt which itself constitutes the heat source for raising the indicia on the tape to its transfer tempefature. Since such continuously preheated silicone belt is itself resilient and during stamping is sandwiched along with the indicia-bearing tape between the die and the article, uniform heating of such tape invariably occurs resulting in attendant complete stamping of the indicia on to the surface of the article regardless of its surface contour.

Although one specific embodiment of the present invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that still further embodiments thereto may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which by way of example would include horizontal movement of the supported article on a conveyor with similar reciprocatory movement of the die, and wherein the resilient heated belt-like member and indicia-bearing tape would be movable substantially in a vertical plane.

I claim:

1. A stamping machine for applying indicia to an article and particularly one having a non-planar surface comprising the combination of:

(a) a support for holding the article to be stamped,

(b) a die carried by a head,

(0) a tape provided with colored indicia thereon transferable at elevated temperatures and movable in a plane substantially normal to the plane of movement of said die,

(d) a continuously preheated resilient belt-like member movable in substantially the same plane as that of said tape,

(e) heating means adjacent which said resilient beltlike member moves and operable to continuously elevate the temperature thereof above the transfer temperature of the colored indicia on said tape prior to engagement of said continuously preheated resilient belt-like member with said tape,

(f) and drive means operable to cause movement of said die accompanied by a sandwiching engagement of said tape with its colored indicia and said continuously preheated resilient belt-like member between said die and the article held by said support, to cause heating of the colored indicia on said tape and the transfer thereof uniformly to the surface of said article despite surface irregularities.

2. A stamping machine for applying indicia to an article as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said die is reciprocally movable outwardly from said head to cause said indicia-bearing tape to overlap the adjacent surface of the article on said support followed by surface engagement of said continuously preheated resilient belt-like member over the area of said tape overlapping said article, and the pressurized sandwiching engagement therebetween with heating and transfer of said indicia to said article being completed upon movement of said die to its outermost reciprocatory position.

3. A stamping machine for applying indicia to an article as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said continuously preheated resilient belt-like member and said indicia-bearing tape are intermittently movable in a plane substantially normal to the plane of movement of said reciprocatory die.

4. A stamping machine for applying indicia to an article as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said head is reciprocally movable on said machine and supports said die, as well as said indicia bearing tape and said continuously preheated resilient belt-like 6 member together with the mechanism for causing respective intermittent movement thereof normal to the movement of said reciprocatory head.

5. A stamping machine for applying indicia to an article as set forth in claim 4 wherein:

the intermittent movement of said continuously preheated resilient belt-like member and said indiciabearing tape is responsive to the reciprocatory movement of said head.

10 -6. A stamping machine for applying indicia to an article as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the continuously preheated means for heating the beltlike member to the transfer temperature of the indieia on said tape prior to engagement thereof comprises an electrically heated drum over which said member passes and an electrically heated contact surface engaged by said member during its movement with both said drum and said contact surface being carried by said die-carrying head.

7. The method of applying indicia uniformly to an article provided with either a plane or non-planar surface which method comprises:

(a) placing indicia which is transferable at elevated temperature on a tape and moving such tape in a plane substantially parallel to the surface of said article,

(b) continuously preheating a resilient belt-like member to the transfer temperature of the indicia on said tape prior to engagement thereof and moving said continuously preheated resilient belt-like member in a plane substantially parallel to that of the movement of said tape, and

(c) moving a die into the path of movement of said tape and said continuously preheated resilient beltlike member to cause sandwiching engagement of the latter with said indicia-bearing tape between said die and said article to heat the indicia on said tape and cause transfer thereof to said article while on a support.

8. The method of applying indicia uniformly to an article provided with either a plane or non-planar surface as set forth in claim 7wherein:

the indicia-bearing tape and the continuously preheated resilient belt-like member is intermittently movable and responsive to the movement of said die.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 50 3,113,904 12/1963 Phipps 15654l 3,252,847 5/1966 Morgan et a1. 156-240 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 348,579 5/1931 England.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. H. DINITZ, Assistant Examiner. 

